anodyne

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The Word of the Day for August 10 is:

anodyne   \AN-uh-dyne\   adjective
     1 : serving to alleviate pain
   *2 : not likely to offend or arouse tensions : innocuous

Example sentence:
     Afraid of seeming overly critical, the new coach would only offer a few 
anodyne suggestions.

Did you know?
     "Anodyne" came to English via Latin from Greek "anodynos" ("without 
pain"), and it has been used as both an adjective and a noun ("something that 
relieves pain") since the 16th century. It has sometimes been used of things 
that dull or lull the senses and render painful experiences less so. Edmund 
Burke used it this way, for example, in 1790 when he referred to flattery as an 
"anodyne draft of oblivion" that renders one (in this particular case, the 
deposed king Louis XVI) forgetful of the flatterer's true feelings. In the 
1930s, a newer second sense began appearing in our vocabulary. Now, in addition 
to describing things that dull pain, "anodyne" can also refer to that which 
doesn't cause discomfort in the first place.

*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.